Video: Luke, the geese-chasing border collie at Atunyote Golf Course

Matt Falvo walks into his office at Atunyote Golf Club and is greeted by Luke, the 9-year-old border collie whose job on the golf course serves a specific purpose.

Luke gazes up at Falvo and offers a slight swish of his tail.

“Hey Luke,” Falvo says, “you wanna catch some birds?”

The question puts Luke on rigid alert. His eyes dart to the door. Yes, he seems to be saying, I would definitely like to catch some birds.

Falvo, the senior superintendent for golf and grounds at the Turning Stone Resort, flings open the door and Luke darts for the golf course. The office, situated behind the 10th green at Atunyote, offers easy access to the small lake that borders the hole.

Until Luke’s arrival, Canadian geese were plucking at fairway grass, loitering on the beautifully tended greens and tee boxes. Often, they left behind dirty deposits of goose waste that fouled the greens and fairways.

Their potential to damage the lush landscape led Turning Stone to purchase Luke seven years ago from a training center in Ohio, where his natural instincts to herd were tailored to the meandering, menacing geese. Luke endured a bout with heartworm, after which he was retrained to understand the commands that Falvo employs when he unleashes him on the golf course.

About 30 Canadian geese consider Atunyote home this summer. Other flocks, lured by the abundant water, often touch down to visit the golf course. All that geese traffic can be hazardous to the golf course’s health. Some golf courses stick simulated coyotes or dogs near water hazards to discourage the geese. Atunoyte uses Luke.

The dog, despite the gray creeping into his muzzle and eyebrows, seems indefatigable. The geese, by now familiar with Luke and the golf cart Falvo uses to transport him through the golf course, wander to the water’s edge when they spot the pair.

Falvo issues the command “Get ‘em Luke!”, prompting the dog to sprint around the perimeter of the pond.

Geese squawk and scatter into the water. Within seconds, Luke’s mission is accomplished.

On the day The Post-Standard visited for a video demonstration, the unpredictable geese had stationed themselves near a pond beside the 13th and 14th holes. Usually, Falvo said, Luke won’t be asked to relocate those geese, since they’re not damaging the course.

But to demonstrate Luke’s ferocious focus, he allowed the dog to round up the usual suspects